What we focus on…

Uranium – or the right to life

Uranium mining damages the environment and is in many cases linked with human rights violations. It often deprives especially indigenous peoples of their means of existence; it damages their culture and way of life and causes heavy damage to their health.

For many years we have worked with NGOs worldwide, who oppose the environmentally damaging exploitation of raw materials.

For many years we have assisted the UN consortium ‘Indigenous Peoples’, now ‘Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (Geneva)’, as well as supported indigenous delegates in their commitment to human rights. The UN consortium achieved the acceptance of the Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (‘DRIP’) by the UN General Assembly on 13th September, 2007.

We continue to work with indigenous people for the implementation of the Declaration of Human Rights.

Participation in the coordination group ‘ILO 169’

The coordination group ‘ILO 169’wants to bringabout a ratification of the Convention 169 of the International Labour Office (ILO) by the government. This convention contains regulations regarding the protection of the rights of indigenous peoples. We participate in this coordination group ‘ILO 169’.

In 2012 we initiated the days of action‘16 days against violence towards women’, which took place with great success and publicity with a broad action alliance in Freiburg. This action is going to be repeated in 2013.

Stolen Sisters Campaign / International days against violence towards women

In the last few years 500 Indian women have disappeared “without a trace”; this has also been stated by amnesty international (www.amnesty.ca/stolensisters). Human rights organisations try to counter the prevailing inaction of Canadian authorities also in Europe in the framework of the ‘International Week against Violence towards Women’.

Human Rights Day (10th December) and Columbus Day (12th October)

The General Declaration of Human Rights has been enacted on 10th December, 1948; a reason to raise awareness to the situation of human rights worldwide.

Columbus Day continues to celebrate the discovery of America; we want to call to mind the beginning genocide of the indigenous people of both Americas.